I'm no cheat, says Jeronimo

Updated October 30, 2012 16:28:49

Adelaide United striker Jeronimo Neumann says he is not a cheat and did not dive in an incident which has caused an A-League furore.

Neumann was visibly upset on Tuesday when defending himself of diving allegations and being branded a cheat by Wellington captain Andrew Durante.

Phoenix defender Ben Sigmund was sent off in the incident, a straight red card later upheld by Football Federation Australia (FFA) on appeal by Wellington.

Argentine Neumann was distressed when fronting the media in Adelaide, with his teammate Cassio interpreting for him.

"No, no," Neumann said when asked if he dived.

"I felt the player take my T-shirt and I went down."

Neumann said he also a clip on an ankle and believed Sigmund's red card was justified.

"He was the last man, so that's a fair call," he said.

Neumann, who scored twice in Adelaide's 3-1 win against Wellington, said he was feeling pressure from the subsequent controversy despite being cleared by the FFA of any wrongdoing.

"But he said everybody in the club - and he's already been here two months - all know him and he said he would never think to do that in a game," Cassio said of his team-mate.

The FFA also upheld Sigmund's one-match ban for the straight red card, verdicts which left Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert fuming.

"It is very disappointing for both Ben and the club ... and also wrong that the game is being ruined by players who dive and do not get punished for it," Herbert said on Monday.

Durante, in a post-game interview, labelled Neumann a "cheat" for diving and both he and Herbert could face sanctions for their comments under the A-League's code of conduct.

But Cassio called for an end to the controversy.

"I can't see anything wrong," Cassio told reporters.

"He (Sigmund) touched him - he tripped him on his ankle.

"So what is the point? Let's move on.

"The referee can make mistakes as players can make mistakes.

"But in my opinion, the referee (on Saturday) was okay.

"Maybe he (Neumann) delay a bit when he went down, but who cares? He (Sigmund) touched him."

The Phoenix on Tuesday issued a brief statement in which General manager David Dome said the club "respectfully accepted" the match review panel's decision over Sigmund's dismissal.

Dome says the correct process was followed.

"So far as the club is concerned, the matter has been laid to rest," he said.

AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 30, 2012 14:56:54

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Phoenix fume as Jeronimo escapes ban

Updated October 29, 2012 20:19:27

Adelaide United midfielder Jeronimo Neumann has been cleared of diving by the A-League's match review panel.

Jeronimo had been under scrutiny for an incident in the Reds' 3-1 win against Wellington Phoenix on Saturday.

Phoenix defender Ben Sigmund was sent off for bringing down Jeronimo in the second half.

Wellington claimed Jeronimo had gone down without contact and appealed against the red card.

TV replays showed plenty of space between the players in the 77th minute incident, prompting speculation Neumann might face disciplinary action himself for diving.

Wellington skipper Andrew Durante clearly thought so, labelling the South American a cheat in an interview after the game.

But the match review panel upheld the referee's decision, meaning Sigmund will be suspended for one match.

Wellington coach Ricki Herbert responded by launching a two-pronged attack on the competency of A-League refereeing and players ruining the game by diving.

"Unfortunately the referee in our game with Adelaide did not deal with the situation competently and we are paying the penalty rather than the player who was guilty of simulation," Herbert said of the match review committee's decision.

He then opened old wounds by recalling referee Jarred Gillett's controversial decision to award a penalty to Brisbane in the 94th minute of the 2012 A-League grand final against Perth.

The Roar converted the spot kick to snatch the title when the Glory's Liam Miller was adjudged to have brought down Besart Berisha in the box.

"This referee has been in the same situation in a grand final and did not deal with it competently there either," said Herbert, who will have to do without Sigmund who will serve his suspension against Melbourne Victory this weekend.

"It is very disappointing for both Ben and the club that he will miss the game against Melbourne Victory, and also wrong that the game is being ruined by players who dive and do not get punished for it."

Under the competition's rules on simulation introduced two seasons ago, any player found guilty of diving faces a standard two-match ban.

Durante still faces the prospect of breaching the A-League player code of conduct but he was not mentioned in the FFA statement on Monday night.

An angry Durante did not hold back in comments made to a television interviewer on the field immediately after the match saying: "He has dived, he's a cheat."

He then qualified his comment by saying: "In my book, if he's dived he's a cheat."

Perth's Steve Pantelidis was also handed a mandatory one-match suspension on Monday after a more clear-cut incident in his side's 2-1 loss to Sydney FC.

The Glory defender was shown a red card for a blatant foul on Brett Emerton when he dragged the midfielder to the ground in the box in the 57th minute.

Pantelidis will miss this weekend's match against the Newcastle Jets.

ABC/AAP

Tags: a-league, soccer, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted October 29, 2012 18:51:14

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